FIBA World Cup 2023 qualifiers: Gianmarco Pozzecco has chosen Diego Flaccadori’s replacement
Pozzecco chose Davide Moretti to replace Diego Flaccadori
The week has begun in Pesaro that will lead coach Gianmarco Pozzecco’s National Team to the games in the second window of the second qualifying phase of the 2023 World Cup. The Azzurri will face Spain on Friday, Nov. 11, at the Vitrifrigo Arena in Pesaro at 9 p.m. (Rai 2, Eleven and Sky Sport) and Georgia in Tbilisi on Nov. 14 at 4 p.m. Italian time (7 p.m. local, Rai 3, Eleven and Sky Sport).
Following an injury suffered yesterday in the match against Verona, Diego Flaccadori was cleared not to join the team. In his place, the CT has summoned Davide Moretti. As of today, therefore, 12 players are available to the Azzurro technical staff. Niccolò Mannion, Paul Biligha, Stefano Tonut, Giampaolo Ricci, Tommaso Baldasso and Alessandro Pajola will join the team on Nov. 10, the day after the Euroleague derby between Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna.
On Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 4:30 p.m. at the Vitrifrigo Arena, the presentation of the “Jr. NBA FIP Under 13 Championship” will take place. FIP President Giovanni Petrucci, NBA Associate Vice President of Basketball Operations, Europe and Middle East Neal Meyer, National Team CT Gianmarco Pozzecco, NBA Ambassador Dino Radja and Azzurro Matteo Spagnolo will speak.
On Thursday, Nov. 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Loggia del Genga in Palazzo Ducale there will be a press conference to present the game against Spain. FIP President Giovanni Petrucci, Pesaro Mayor Matteo Ricci, National Team CT Gianmarco Pozzecco, an Azzurro player and Master Group Sport General Manager, FIP Commercial Advisor, Antonio Santa Maria will speak.
After three consecutive victories last summer (against the Netherlands and Ukraine on the road and Georgia at home), Italy is leading Group L in the company of Spain and sees the World Cup getting closer and closer. To qualify mathematically already in this round, the Azzurri will have to beat the World and European Champions and Georgia. Otherwise, it will have to wait until the last two matches of the last window (Feb. 23 at home against Ukraine and Feb. 26 away in Spain). The top three ranked teams qualify for the 2023 World Cup (Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines).
The Azzurri
#0 Marco Spissu (1995, 184, P, Umana Reyer Venezia)
#1 Niccolo Mannion (2001, 190, P, Segafredo Virtus Bologna)
#6 Paul Biligha (1990, 200, C, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#7 Stefano Tonut (1993, 194, G, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#11 Davide Moretti (1998, 190, P, Carpegna Prosciutto Pesaro)
#16 Amedeo Tessitori (1994, 208, C, Umana Reyer Venezia)
#17 Giampaolo Ricci (1991, 202, A, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#18 Matteo Spagnolo (2003, 194, P, Dolomiti Energia Trentino)
#24 Riccardo Moraschini (1991, 194, G/A, Umana Reyer Venezia)
#25 Tommaso Baldasso (1998, 192, P, EA7 Emporio Armani Milano)
#30 Guglielmo Caruso (1999, 208, A/C, Openjobmetis Varese)
#31 Michele Vitali (1991, 196, G/A, Unahotels Reggio Emilia)
#35 Mouhamet Rassoul Diouf (2001, 206, A/C, Unahotels Reggio Emilia)
#40 Luca Severini (1996, 204, A, Bertram Yachts Derthona Tortona)
#45 Nicola Akele (1995, 203, A, Germani Brescia)
#53 Tomas Woldetensae (1998, 196, G/A, Openjobmetis Varese)
#54 Alessandro Pajola (1999, 194, P, Segafredo Virtus Bologna)
#77 John Petrucelli (1992, 193, G/A, Germani Brescia)
Staff
Federal President: Giovanni Petrucci
General Secretary: Maurizio Bertea
Head of Delegation: Salvatore Trainotti
Technical Commissioner: Gianmarco Pozzecco
Assistants: Carlo Recalcati, Edoardo Casalone, Federico Fucà, Giuseppe Poeta (starting Nov. 10)
Physical Trainer: Matteo Panichi
Physician: Sandro Senzameno
Orthopedics: Raffaele Cortina
Physiotherapists: Roberto Oggioni, Francesco Ciallella
Team Manager: Massimo Valle
Communication Manager: Francesco D’Aniello
Videomaker: Marco Cremonini
Materials handlers: Andrea Annessa, Luigi Massimei
The program
Nov. 7
12 noon – Gathering in Pesaro
6:30-8:30 p.m. – Training at Vitrifrigo Arena (Pesaro)
November 8
10 a.m.-2 p.m. – Practice
Nov. 9
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Training
Nov. 10
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Training
Nov. 11
12 p.m.-1 p.m.
9 p.m. Italy-Spain (Vitrifrigo Arena: Rai 2, Eleven, Sky Sports)
Nov. 12
2 p.m.-Transfer to Tbilisi (Georgia)
Nov. 13
11:30/13:00 a.m. local (8:30/11:30 a.m. Italian) – Practice at Tbilisi Arena
November 14
10:00/11:00 a.m. local (7:00/9:00 a.m. Italian) – Training at Tbilisi Arena
7 p.m. local (4 p.m. Italian) Georgia-Italy (Tbilisi Arena: Rai 3, Eleven, Sky Sport)
